Beautiful but Poor — page 81: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

72 BEAUTIFUL BUT POOR. “What sot ye to doin’ it?’’ asked Biddy. The question confused Miss Scrimp. Not for any consideration would she have Biddy know the truth. It would have ruined her in Biddy’s estimation if the latter had known she had succumbed to the de- . mands of the cheapest boarder in the house. “T thought I’d just try a change,’’ she said. ‘“‘I’d got so sick of hearin’ the girls grumble and growl, I thought I’d see what real good feedin’ would do with them.’’ At that instant Miss Scrimp caught. a glimpse of Jessie Albemarle’s face. ‘he girl hardly dared to, but she seemed to want to laugh right out; and from that instant Miss Scrimp knew that Jessie Albemarle knew why and how the change had come. And the moment she could get the little girl alone after breakfast, she said to her, in a kinder tone than she had ever used to her before: ‘Jessie, my dear, if you will keep a close mouth about all you know you'll never be sorry for it. Dll have a nice cot-bed put up in your room,and you shall have two new calico frocks, and a good, soft pair of shoes.”’ | “Thank you, Miss Scrimp. Miss Hattie told. me not to say anything as long as I was treated well. and you may be sure I’ll mind her. She is the best friend I ever had.’’ Miss Scrimp would really have liked to tear the poor girl limb from limb, but she dared not even be cross with her, so, with what she meant for a smile, - she told her to go and do her work, and take her time about it. comicbooks (ele)